Chronicles of Kazam #01: The Last Dragonslayer

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Meet Princess Cimorene--a princess who refustes to be proper. She is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomobyish smart...

And bored.

So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon. And not just any dragon, but Kazul--one of the most powerful and dangerous dragons arounds. Of course, Cimorene has a way of hooking up with dangerous characters, and soon she's coping with a witch,a a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, a stone prince, and some very oily wizards.

If this princess ran away to find some excitement, it looks like she's found plenty! With a new look and new introduction from the author.

Synopsis:

In his witty first novel for young readers, New York Times best-selling author Jasper Fforde introduces fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange, who runs an agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away. But when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to Jennifer&#8212;and Big Magic.

Synopsis:

Always be polite to dragons! That's what Daystar's mother taught him...and it's a very wise lesson--one that might just help him after his mom hands him a magic sword and kicks him out of the house! This updated edition features a new introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

Synopsis:

Cimorene, the princess who refueses to be proper, is back--but wher Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out! This updated edition features a new introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

Synopsis:

A Princess's work is never done—not even when she becomes a queen! Princess Cimorene is now Queen Cimorene...and she's faced with her first queenly crisis—the Enchanted Forest is threatened with complete destruction! This new edition includes an introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

Synopsis:

Princess Cimorene, the daughter of a very proper king, runs away to live with a very powerful dragon, Kazul. This new edition includes an introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

Synopsis:

Those wicked wizards are back--and they've become very smart. (Sort of.) They intend to take over the Enchanted Forest once and for all . . . unless Cimorene finds a way to stop them. And some people think being queen is easy.

Synopsis:

This time the wicked wizards are draining power from the Enchanted Forest. “This riotous sequel to Dealing with Dragons evinces the same wacky wit and skewed fairy-tale elements with the addition of a touch of romance. Once again, Wrede offers a story that will delight fantasy fans, particularly those who have relished Cimorenes adventures in the first book of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.”--Booklist

About the Author

Jasper Fforde is the internationally best-selling author of the Chronicles of Kazam, the Thursday Next mysteries, and the Nursery Crime books. He lives in Wales. Visit his website at www.jasperfforde.com.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

Jennifer Strange isn’t really a female Harry Potter--she can’t do magic for a start. But Jasper Fforde’s The Last Dragonslayer could be the beginning of similarly enticing series. The story’s set in a slightly alternate world, where magic is dying in the Ununited Kingdom, and magicians are reduced to rewiring houses and unstopping drains. Jennifer’s a foundling office girl, but her boss seems to have gone astray, and now the dreamers and foreseers of the world are claiming the world’s last dragon is about to die. This event could have enormous political consequences as the dragonlands become available for development, and Welsh and English counties threaten war. But the magical ramifications might be even worse--what if dragons are the source of magic? What if magic dies with the last of the breed?

Author Jasper Fforde creates a great cast of characters, combining the sublime and the ridiculous, adding convincing tones of voice, and giving Jennifer just the right amount of teen awkwardness and subservient common sense. The magic of this alternate world is just close enough to our own--“If you’re thinking of somebody and the phone rings and it’s them, that’s magic,” says Jennifer to Tiger at one point--and just far enough away to keep readers, young and old, entranced. Magical history is given very naturally in conversation, with details that reappear in the plot, lending a nice sense of depth and conviction. And there’s that delightfully English feel of forms filled in triplicate, rules and regulations, and a right way for everything, plus the odd cup of tea.

And there’s a dragon! What more could you want? Funny, absurd, and delightfully daft, with a clever plot, enjoyable protagonist, and plenty of depth for a series, this is a really enjoyable middle-grade book for readers of all ages.

njcur, June 4, 2013 (view all comments by njcur)
I have loved Jasper Fforde's adult books and am delighted to see him branching out to children's books. This book was fabulous. I loved the characters and the wild and wacky world. Fforde has a logic of his own and he is a master storyteller. I have added it to the library's collection because I know kids will love it. A wonderful book for a rainy day! I hope there will be more!

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,
In his witty first novel for young readers, New York Times best-selling author Jasper Fforde introduces fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange, who runs an agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away. But when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to Jennifer&#8212;and Big Magic.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

Always be polite to dragons! That's what Daystar's mother taught him...and it's a very wise lesson--one that might just help him after his mom hands him a magic sword and kicks him out of the house! This updated edition features a new introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

Cimorene, the princess who refueses to be proper, is back--but wher Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out! This updated edition features a new introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

A Princess's work is never done—not even when she becomes a queen! Princess Cimorene is now Queen Cimorene...and she's faced with her first queenly crisis—the Enchanted Forest is threatened with complete destruction! This new edition includes an introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

Princess Cimorene, the daughter of a very proper king, runs away to live with a very powerful dragon, Kazul. This new edition includes an introduction by the author and fantastic new packaging.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

Those wicked wizards are back--and they've become very smart. (Sort of.) They intend to take over the Enchanted Forest once and for all . . . unless Cimorene finds a way to stop them. And some people think being queen is easy.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

This time the wicked wizards are draining power from the Enchanted Forest. “This riotous sequel to Dealing with Dragons evinces the same wacky wit and skewed fairy-tale elements with the addition of a touch of romance. Once again, Wrede offers a story that will delight fantasy fans, particularly those who have relished Cimorenes adventures in the first book of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.”--Booklist

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